Lightning-arrester



E. JACOBUS.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12. 1919.

1,340,657. Pa ented May 18, 19 0.

17712 31307: Edluard Jot/0022103, Z: 5 W

EDWARD JAGOBUS OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Application filled December 12, 1819. Serial No. 344,331.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EnwAno JAoonUs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Montclair, in the count of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented an l nprovement in Lightning-Arresters, of Which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,'is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates -'to lightning arresters and more particularly to arresters of the vacuum or partial vacuum'type.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section showing a lightning arrester embodying one form of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectiontaken on the line 22 in Fig. 1. i Referring to the drawings and to the illustrative embodiment of the invention therein shown, the arrester comprises the sealed-in container 3, herein of glass, and containing the electrodes 5, the latter being connected to and herein supported by the leading-in wires 7 which pass through opposite ends of the container.

The casing or holder for the container 3 and the terminals for the lead wires 7 may be of any suitable character or type best suited to the use to which the arrester is to be put. Herein the container is held at each opposite end within a metallic shell or casing 9 which fits loosely over the end of the container, each lead wire 7 being connected at 11 to the interior walls of its adjacent shell so that the arrester may conveniently engage any of the usual or well-known switchboard connections customarily em ployed for this purpose.

The container 3 and metallic sleeves 9 are assembled together to form a single unit by any suitable means such as the cementitious binder 13, which may be sealing wax or the like, and is utilized to fill the interior of the sleeves and hold the parts assembled in fixed ings being provided with a container in the form of a somewhat elongated capsule, the leading-in wires passing through opposite ends thereof whereat a tight seal is effected. After the parts have been assembled within the ca )su e, the latter is preferably exliauste or partially exhausted by any suitable or usual exhaustion process to produce any desired degree of vacuum, the exhaustion taking place through a tubular opening at one end which is afterward sealed off, forming the tip 15. I

\Vherethe container is formed of glass, in order to produce an efficient and durable arrester it is desirable to employ glass of a sufficiently low melting pointto permit its being readily worked and to insure tight seals, particularly at the leading-in wires. ()n the other hand, lass having these charteristics is more or less susceptible to damage from the discharge which is apt to take place between the electrodes 5, being apt to crack or break under the heat. In order to secure the effectiveness of a glass, sealed-in container, while constructing the latter of an easily workable glass having a relatively low melting point, I not only provide electrodes 5 of a large, rugged, sturdy construction, herein in the form of balls having a high degree of heat absorption, but inter-- pose an inner; protector or envelop 17 between the electrodes and the main container 3, which protector is formed of some substance, such as a vitreous material, having a relatively high melting point. This, for example, may be a heat-resisting glass or silica or other vitreous substance having a relatively high melting point.

Such intermediate protector is herein shown in the form of a sleeve 17 of substantial thickness and mass, loosely surrounding the ball-shaped electrodes and of a length somewhat less than that of the capsule. This provides a single, tubular piece supported by the electrodes and open at its ends, providing thereby a chamber surrounding the electrodes and communicating with the surrounding chamber of the container through the open ends of the sleeve or tube. A heat-resisting glass, such by way of example as the commercial product knownas Pyrex, may be employed for this purpose since this 1s capableof withstanding extremes of temperature without cracking or melting. Its coefficient of ex} pension is relatively small and no appreciable strain will be put upon it within ordinary working temperatures reached in the use of the arrester. A-protecting sleeve of this material is clear and transparent so that the vacuous space about the electrodes is visible at all times and the vacuum can be readily tested by the use of a spark coil.

The described type of arrester is extremel simple in construction, well adapted to wit istand rough usage and operation under the most severe conditions. On the other hand, it permits utilization of a sealed glass container with its capacity to undergo long usage without leakage or impairment of the vacuum, While at the same time the absorption and protective characteristics of the vitreous envelop may be availed of to protect the glass Walls of the main container from the effectof the discharge that might tend to spread sidewise from between the electrodes. I

While I have herein shown and described for purposes of illustration one specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that extensive deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

1. A lightning arrester comprising separated electrodes, a sealed-in container surrounding said electrodes and formed of glass having a relatively low melting point and at protecting member between the electrodes and the container formed of glass having a relatively high melting point.

2. A lightningarrester having a vacuous glass-walled container, electrodes within the same, leading-in wires passing through the walls of said container and sealed therein,

and a sleeve protector between the electrodessurrounding said electrodes having a relatively high melting point.

4. A lightning arrester having electrodes, leading-in wires, a glass container into which said leading-in wires are sealed, said container being formed of glass having a relatively low melting point, and protective means between the electrodes and the walls of the container formed of vitreous material having a relatively high melting point.

5. A lightning varrester having electrodes, leading-in wires, a glass container into which said leading-in wires are sealed, said container being formed of glass having a relatively low melting point, and protective means between the electrodes and the walls of the container formed of siliceous material having a relatively high melting point and comprising a sleeve loosely surrounding the electrodes.

6. A lightning arrester having a glass container with sealed-in leading-in Wires, electrodes, and a protecting sleeve surrounding the electrodes and resting loosely thereon.

7. A lightning arrester having a vacuous glass container with sealed-in leading-in wires and electrodes and a tubular protecting envelop surrounding the electrodes forming an inner chamber which communicates through the open ends of the tube with the" surrounding space of the container.

8. A lightning arrester having a vacuous container and an open-ended tubular envelop about the electrodes.

9. A lightning arrester having a vacuous glass-walled container with sealed-in leading-in wires, electrodes supported by the Wires and a protecting member between the walls of the container and the electrodes supported by the electrodes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD JACOBU S. 

